Lymphedema is a condition that affects millions of patients worldwide. Most of the research has been performed on animals, while the cellular and molecular characteristics of human lymphatic collectors have been largely unknown. I studied epifascial lymphtatic collectors of the human thigh. These were isolated during autologous transplantation operations. My transmission electron microscopic studies revealed interstitial Cajal-like cells that are in close contact with smooth muscle cells, possessing multiple caveolae at the contact sites. These interstitial Cajal-like cells are highly ramified, have long processes, caveolae, and lack a basal lamina. I observed two types of smooth muscle cells in the media of the collectors with dark and light cytoplasm, as well as vasa vasorum in the media of the largest collectors. Researching the structure of lymphatic collectors is the basis of possible future pharmacological therapies for lymphedema.
